Shadows in the Night
Main Characters Wolfkit - Dark grey she-cat with one brown ear and bright green eyes. Sootkit '''- Grey tabby tom with amber eyes. '''Adderkit - Brown tom with pale blue eyes. Firekit - Bright tabby ginger tom with green eyes. Willowkit - Tortoiseshell she-cat with bright blue eyes. Stealthkit - Brown tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes. Harefur - Dark brown tom with amber eyes. Rainkit - Pale grey tabby tom with dark blue eyes. Stonegaze - Dark grey tabby tom with amber eyes. Prologue "Are you awake?" Stonekit stared into the corner of the den silently, ignoring his brother's question. "Stonekit!" Harekit hissed. "I want to go play outside! Please come with me." "No," Stonekit said, not turning his head. "Go to sleep, Harekit." "But I'm bored," Harekit whined. There was a rustling of branches, and Stonekit closed his eyes and lowered his head quickly as Specklebranch pushed her way into the den. "Harekit? Why aren't you asleep yet?" she asked softly. "I am asleep," Harekit said quickly, closing his eyes and pretending to snore. "See?" Specklebranch purred softly. "Of course you are." Carefully she settled down between the two kits, tucking them both in close to her side. Stonekit lay quietly, his breathing shallow. Carefully, he slid one eye open, his amber gaze boring into the darkness. His mind was whirling, his thoughts still full of the cat he had seen not seconds before. Her words rung in his mind. You have a destiny, Stonekit, beyond that of any other cat. You will rise high above the Clans, higher than any leader has ever risen... * * * * * * * * * * "Are you ready?" Swiftfoot asked them, his tail smoothing Harekit's pelt gently. Stonekit nodded abruptly, his whole body focused on Ravenstar. Harekit, on the other side of their father, fidgeted nervously. "What if I mess up?" he asked, squirming away from Specklebranch as she smoothed the tuft of fur on his head. "What if Ravenstar changes his mind?" "He won't," Swiftfoot answered gently. "You'll do everything right." "Stop being stupid," Stonekit snapped. "Apprentice ceremonies aren't that big a deal." Harekit glared at his brother. "They are to me," he pouted. "Stonekit," Specklebranch warned. "Be nice to your brother." Stonekit narrowed his eyes furiously. Be nice to your brother. That was all they ever said to him! Why should he be nice to Harekit? The brown tom didn't have a destiny. It wasn't Stonekit's brother who was going to rise higher than any leader before him. Ravenstar took a step forward, to the top of the Highrock. "I stand here today to make four kits of this Clan into apprentices." Stonekit didn't hesitate, padding forward slowly, determination in his eyes. Behind him, he caught a glimpse of Harekit glancing up at their father for encouragement. Off to the side, Honeykit and Dewkit were also creeping forwards nervously. Their mother Mousesky stood close beside Specklebranch. The two she-cats had been best friends since kithood, and everyone in the Clan joked that the two sets of kits were meant to be together. Blazesoul, the Clan deputy purred softly as his two daughters walked past him, Stonekit always a pace ahead of them, and then suddenly Ravenstar was looming above him. The young grey tom looked up, and for an instant their eyes met. I will rise higher than you. '' Ravenstar turned his head towards Dewkit, and the moment was lost. "Dewpaw, Honeypaw, Harepaw and Stonepaw," Ravenstar began. Stonekit held his head up higher, impatient for the ceremony to be over. Directly ahead of him he saw the silver she-cat outlined against the dark night sky, and he lowered his head a centimetre, then raised it again. She returned the nod, her form shimmering in the wind. Suddenly, Stonekit realised that a cat was moving behind him, and he spun around to touch noses with Spiderpool. His new mentor purred quietly. "You're doing very well," he murmured The grey tabby nodded, and watched as the other three new apprentices stepped back away from the rock. He paused, just for an instant, standing there in front of the entire Clan, feeling their eyes upon him. Stonepaw stepped backwards. ''I will rise higher than you all. Chapter 1 A paw prodded Wolfkit in the side, and she blinked open her eyes. "Willowkit?" she asked sleepily, blinking. "Will you come and watch for us?" Willowkit asked, nudging the younger cat to her feet. "Stealthkit and I are going to sneak into the medicine den." "Again?" Wolfkit's brother Sootkit asked, rolling his eyes. "You've already been caught twice." "Stop letting Wolfkit watch for you," Adderkit added. "She's useless." Willowkit winked at Wolfkit, and flicked her tail in the direction of the entrance, where Stealthkit was crouched, her whiskers twitching. Flattered, Wolfkit scrambled out of her nest and followed the older kit. "Good luck!" Firekit called as they left. "You sit here, Wolfkit," Willowkit said, positioning her just outside the den. "If anyone asks what you're doing, say that you have a sore pad. Say it really loudly, so Stealthkit and I get enough warning." "If someone starts to come into the den, you have to yowl and say that your pad hurts," Stealthkit added. "You have to stop them from going in. Can you do that?" Wolfkit nodded, determined. Carefully she sat down, holding one forepaw slightly off the ground. Willowkit and Stealthkit purred at her, then hurried quickly towards the den. Before they even made it inside, Harefur slipped in front of them, his whiskers twitching with amusement. "Look, you two, give it up already!" he laughed, bowling his daughters over with his paw. "It's only three days until you become apprentices, and you'll be allowed inside then!" "Three days is so long, Daddy," Willowkit whined. "We want to see now," Stealthkit added. "Where's your mother?" Harefur asked. Both kits shrugged. "She wasn't in the den," Willowkit explained. "Neither was Seedwing," her sister added, tilting her ears towards Wolfkit. Harefur frowned. "They must have gone out. I'll come and watch you lot for a while, I think." "But Daddy!" Willowkit protested. "No buts. Who knows what you'll get up to!" Wolfkit trailed behind as Harefur sheperded his daughters back into the nursery. Her own father, Patchstripe, had been missing for a moon, and no cat had seen him since he went out to hunt one rainy afternoon and never returned. As they entered the den, all three of Wolfkit's brothers looked up from a play-fight, their eyes wide and innocent. "What's been going on in here?" Harefur asked playfully. "Nothing!" All three kits answered in a well practiced chorus. Adderkit realised that Firekit's foot was still in his mouth, and spat it out as Sootkit carefully untangled his own tail from around his legs. A pale cream she-cat padded in, her belly hanging heavy with the kits that were due any day now. "Hello, Harefur. Visiting the kits?" "They tried to get into Greenflight's den again," Harefur explained. "Where are Honeyfeather and Seedwing?" The she-cat shrugged. "They must have gone out," she said, unconsciously echoing Harefur's previous explanation. "Hello, Dawnflower!" Firekit said enthusiatically, wriggling out from under his brothers. "Have you had kits yet?" Dawnflower purred, and shook her head. "No, not yet. You'll know when they're born, because Greenflight and Ashpaw will be looking after me with lots of herbs." Wolfkit wrinkled her nose. In her first moon of life she had been very sick and weak, the runt of her litter, and Greenflight had forced many foul-tasting plants down her. Sootkit bounded over to Harefur. "May we go out?" he asked politely. "I promise we won't bother any cat, or go into any of the dens!" Harefur tipped his head to one side, considering it, then nodded. "Very well, then," he decided. "Off you go." "Thanks!" Adderkit exclaimed, already running out. Sootkit raced after him, shoving the brown tom with his broad shoulders, and Firekit was just behind. "Do you want to go too, Wolfkit?" Harefur asked gently. Wolfkit nodded, and walked slowly behind her brothers. She wouldn't hang out with them, they were boring and mean. Maybe the elders could be persuaded to tell her a story. Maybe they'd even tell her about her father, and the story of how Harefur and Patchstripe defeated a dog together, and Harefur became the most famous deputy in all the four Clans. Wolfkit liked that story. Chapter 2 Adderkit's hind paws pummelled Wolfkit's back as he wriggled in the nest. Sootkit and Firekit were already asleep, breathing slowly and deeply. Wolfkit sighed, and closed her eyes, but Adderkit made a grunting rasping sound, and they shot wide open again. It wasn't quite dark yet, but the kits had all gone to sleep early, tired out by the games they had played with Harefur all day. "Dawnflower?" Wolfkit asked softly, but there was no answer. The nursery was filled with the sound of breathing, and in spite of being surrounded by her brothers, Wolfkit felt very alone. She settled her head on her front paws and closed her eyes as the cats outside prepared for the night. * * * * * * * * * * Wolfkit's eyelids flickered open, and she blinked in the silver light. Looking up, she could see two moons shining high above, surrounded by the stars of Silverpelt. Beside her, Sootkit coughed and rolled over in his sleep, rubbing his nose against the soft, fresh grass beneath them. Wolfkit stood up, careful not to disturb anyone. She'd had this dream before, many times. She looked around her, at the tall, wide trees which filled her with wonder, then heard a shriek from inside the forest. It was the sound that the bright birds made as they flitted around. Maybe there was an injured one somewhere, that had fallen from a tree. Wolfkit wriggled her paws in the damp grass, filled with excitement at the thought of catching her very first prey, even in a dream. Moving quickly, she padded towards the shadow that was the forest. Her eyes gleamed, helping her to see through the darkness laced by tree-trunks, and it wasn't long before the outline of the colourful bird appeared before her. It struggled weakly as she approached, but one of its wings was bent at an unnatural angle, and it could barely move without giving the short screeches of pain she had heard before. Crouching low to the ground, Wolfkit crept forward, but she was forced to pause just a few steps away from the bird as a tremendous yawn racked her body. She arched her back, stretching all her muscles, then started walking again. She was stopped in her tracks by the loudest noise she had ever heard. It roared across the sky like the thunder on the rainy nights of leaf-bare, and the trees shook with the sound of it. Trembling, Wolfkit turned and ran. She wasn't sure why she was running, but the sound had sent her into a wild, uncontrollable panic. Abandoning the bird, which was now flapping more furiously than ever, she fled towards where she thought she had come from, but there was no field, just more forest. Terrified and lost, Wolfkit spun wildly around in circles, searching for anything she recognised. In the grey light of dawn, nothing looked familiar, and the tiny grey kit huddled into the fallen leaves, curling into a tight ball and squeezing her eyes shut. * * * * * * * * * * The sun dazzled her, and Wolfkit squinted her eyes close together, peeking at the world through her eyelashes. It was never this bright in the nursery, and it was always much warmer with Sootkit, Adderkit and Firekit around her. "Wolfkit?" a voice asked, amazed, and pawsteps bounded over to her. "What are you doing out here?" A large, looming shadow blocked out the sun, and Wolfkit looked up at Shadefur's concerned face. "Where am I?" the kit asked slowly. "This is the forest, Wolfkit. You're a long way from camp. How did you get out here?" "I was dreaming," she began, confused, and then she frowned in anguish. "I want my Mama! And the nursery and the camp and no more nasty birds!" Nervously Shadefur pressed her nose against the kit's fur, trying to soothe her. "We'd better get you back then, hadn't we?" Wolfkit nodded, and let herself go limp as Shadefur picked her up by her scruff. Dangling from the young warrior's jaws she was able to look around as everything went past them. This forest looked nothing like the one in her dream, and she wondered how she had arrived here at all. Chapter 3 "I think you must have been sleepwalking," Greenflight concluded, peering down at Wolfkit kindly. "I can give her poppy seeds at night if it happens again," he added, meeting Dawnflower's gaze. "Thank you," the she-cat said. "Go on, Wolfkit. Your brothers have been missing you." Wolfkit snorted. That definetely isn't true! But she turned and walked slowly out of the den. Behind her, she heard Greenflight mutter something, and strained her ears to catch what he was saying. "Still no sign of Seedwing or Honeyfeather?" the old medicine cat asked. Dawnflower sighed. "None. The patrols have been scouring the territory for so much as a whisp of scent, but nothing! I think the kits are starting to get worried." Greenflight lowered his voice even more. "You don't think it could be..." Suddenly, Wolfkit walked headlong into a mass of fur. "Ouch!" she squeaked, and the two older cats stopped their conversation, staring at her. "Sorry, Ashpaw," Wolfkit added, recognising the apprentice. "That's ok," Ashpaw mumbled, his mouth full of leaves. "You're too small to do any damage." He brushed past her into the den, and Dawnflower quickly stepped away from the medicine cat. "Well I'd better see that this young one gets back to her den safely," she said loudly, her voice overly cheerful. "Come on, Wolfkit." The kit trailed after Dawnflower, hearing the medicine cat begin to question his apprentice as they left. "Dawnflower?" "Mmm?" "Where do you think Mama and Honeyfeather are?" Dawnflower paused, and looked down at her. "I don't know, Wolfkit," she said softly. "But who will look after us now? Sootkit and Adderkit and Firekit and me don't have a Daddy like Willowkit and Stealthkit." Dawnflower purred softly, brushing her tail across the smaller cat's dark grey fur. "The Clan will always look after you, Wolfkit. And I'll be keeping an eye on you. Don't you worry." Satisfied, Wolfkit bounced towards the nursery, leaving the heavily pregnant she-cat behind. She could already hear the sounds of a scuffle going on in her den, and she wanted to know who was winning. * * * * * * * * * * "Just look at this!" Harefur exclaimed proudly, nosing Briarpaw forward. The tortoiseshell she-cat lowered her head modestly as everyone crowded around to admire the pheasant she had brought down. "You must be doing something right there, Harefur," Jaydust joked. "Nonsense! It's all my genes," boasted Waterpath, swiping his tongue proudly over his daughter's ear. Dewfur, his mate, watched on in silence. "I think someone's almost ready to be a warrior," Harefur said, nudging his apprentice. "Briarpaw can't become a warrior before Cedarpaw!" Ashpaw exclaimed. "He's older than her!" "They're just being silly, Ashpaw," Briarpaw said, padding to the fresh-kill pile and grabbing a mouse. "I'm going to eat in the den." Harefur stood and watched the apprentice walk away before lugging the pheasant over to the kits, standing outside the nursery with wide eyes. "I reckon this will feed the lot of you, and some left over for the elders!" he said. "Will you stay and eat with us, Daddy?" Willowkit asked, her eyes pleading. "I can't. I have to go and eat with Tawnystar. There are some things we want to talk about." Stealthkit huffed crossly, and stomped inside, followed by her sister. Wolfkit stared at the pheasant. It's so big! '' "Excellent. More for me," Adderkit said, watching the older kits leave. "Let's dig in!" He crouched down and started to tear scraps of meat with his teeth. "What does it taste like?" Firekit asked, fidgeting from paw to paw. "Ithgoog!" Sootkit announced, chewing rapidly. "Wealgoog!" Cautiously, Firekit stepped forward and tugged at the pheasant. "Try some, Wolfkit," he encouraged. She purred, and crouched beside him. "Not bad," she decided, tasting the meat carefully. "Ew! Don't put your slobbery tongue all over it, Wolfkit!" Adderkit squealed. Ignoring him, Wolfkit pulled a mouthful of meat away and chewed it, then coughed up a feather. It didn't take long for all four kits to feel full, and the two older kits did eventually eat some, along with Dawnflower and the elders. Curling into her nest, Wolfkit felt the emptiness at her back once again. The absence of her mother was more noticeable than ever now that she knew Greenflight was worried too. Squeezing her eyes tight shut, Wolfkit wished that wherever her mother was, StarClan was looking after her, and would send her home soon. Chapter 4 "It doesn't sound much fun," Sootkit observed, looking up for a moment from the ball of moss he was shaping with his claws. "I'm bored," Adderkit whined. "When can we go in?" All six kits turned their heads to watch as Ashpaw dashed out of the nursery, skidded into the medicine den then ran back, leaves in his jaws. "Soon, I hope," Willowkit said as the apprentice disappeared. "I want at least one more night in the nursery before Stealthkit and I move out." "It's gonna be awesome!" Stealthkit exclaimed cheerfully, twirling in a circle. "We're gonna be the best apprentices ever!' "Well, maybe not as good as Briarpaw," Willowkit amended. "But pretty fantastic." "Sssh," Firekit hissed, poking his head further into the nursery. "I think something's happening!" Adderkit rolled his eyes. "It's not that interesting, mouse-brain," he said. "It just takes an awfully long time." "But we'll have more friends to play with!" Firekit argued. "They'll only be babies," Stealthkit said. "Like you four were. You won't be able to play with them for ''ages." "How many are there?" Wolfkit asked, taking a step closer to Firekit. "None, yet," Willowkit said, then winked at her sister. "I think three," Firekit answered without turning around. "I think that's what Greenflight said." "Are they done yet?" Sootkit whined. A shriek echoed from the nursery, and all around camp cats stopped what they were doing to watch. "Guess not," the grey tom said, turning back to his moss ball. Moonstripe burst into the clearing, a dripping wad of moss dangling from his jaws. "Scuse me," he mumbled, shoving past the kits and into the nursery. "Dawnflower!" they heard him exclaim. "I'm here!" "I'm never ever gonna like a she-cat," Adderkit said determinedly. "Never ever never never." * * * * * * * * * * "You can come in now," Greenflight told them as he left. "But you must be very gentle around Dawnflower and the new kits." Wolfkit followed the others as they traipsed in, single file, whispering to each other. Dawnflower was lying on her side in her nest, with Moonstripe sitting beside her, licking her head. Curled up tightly next to Dawnflower's belly were three tiny kits. They're so small! ''Wolfkit stared in shock at the little scraps. "I was never that small," Sootkit boasted, stretching his muscles. "I was born big and strong." "They'll grow," Dawnflower said softly. "Kits always do." "What are their names?" Firekit asked reverently, his gaze moving from one kit to the next. "This is Blossomkit," Dawnflower said, touching the only she-cat gently with her tail. "Slatekit is the big grey one, and Rainkit is the tiny tabby." Rainkit squeaked, flailing his paws in the air. "Look," laughed Stealthkit. "He knows his name already!" "Hello, Rainkit," Wolfkit said, peering at him. His soft paws touched her nose, and she squeaked and jumped back. "When can we play with them?" Adderkit whined. "Not until they're ready," Moonstripe said sternly, glowering down at the kit. "Huh," Sootkit said crossly. "Come on, Adderkit." The two marched from the nursery together. "They're beautiful," Firekit told Dawnflower politely. "Yes," Willowkit agreed. "Congratulations." "When did you lot grow up so fast," the she-cat purred. "Thank you." Wolfkit padded over to her own nest and snuggled into the soft moss. Through half-closed eyes she watched Moonstripe and Dawnflower fussing over their kits, and she breathed in the last of the scent left in the nest by Seedwing, and wondered what had happened to her perfect family. Chapter 5 Wolfkit blinked sleepy eyes open. Sootkit was prodding her in the side. "Wake up! Come on, mouse-brain." She staggered to her paws. "What is it?" "Willowkit and Stealthkit are having their ceremony! Don't you want to come and watch?" Wolfkit widened her eyes, and hurried towards the nursery entrance, almost tripping over her paws as she arrived there. Willowkit and Stealthkit were standing beside their father, while Tawnystar waited at the top of the Highrock. The other cats milled around beneath her, Skyrise and Waterpath sitting slightly to the side, murmuring softly with their heads together. Willowkit saw the younger kits, and waved her tail eagerly as Harefur tried to clean her pelt. Suddenly Tawnystar cleared her throat, and the cats fell silent. Harefur nudged his kits forward, and they padded towards the foot of the Highrock side-by-side, their pelts mingling. Tawnystar looked down at them. "Willowkit and Stealthkit," she began. "You have each each reached your sixth moon, and are ready to become apprentices. Willowpaw, your mentor will be Skyrise." Wolfkit watched eagerly as Willowpaw stepped forward to touch noses with her new mentor. "Stealthpaw, your mentor will be Waterpath. I trust that you will both train well, and become true and worthy warriors in your time." "Willowpaw! Stealthpaw!" Wolfkit yowled, her voice drowned out by all the others. The two new apprentices purred happily, and Willowpaw winked cheerfully at Wolfkit. She and her sister followed the older apprentices into their new den, and Wolfkit sighed and headed back to the nursery. "We'll be apprentices soon," Adderkit said happily. "I'm going to kill heaps of ShadowClan warriors," Sootkit boasted. "Then you'll get blood everywhere," Firekit protested quietly. "I don't want you sleeping in my nest if you're covered in blood." "I won't be sleeping in the same nest as you when we're apprentices," Sootkit argued. "You'll still be in my den, and blood stinks," Firekit retorted. Wolfkit narrowed her eyes and peered towards the nursery. "Is that Rainkit?" she asked of no one in particular. Adderkit followed her gaze. "I guess," he said, shrugging. "Yes, it is," Firekit added. "What's he doing?" Rainkit was stumbling around outside the nursery, his gaze trained on the sky as he stumbled about, tripping over everything his paws touched. His mother was standing nearby, watching him anxiously even while she kept one eye firmly fixed on her other two kits, who were tottering around on her other side. "What's wrong with Rainkit?" Sootkit asked bluntly as they ran over. "Maybe he's just clumsy," Adderkit suggested. Dawnflower gave a quick nod. "I suppose so," she said, but her eyes were tight with worry. * * * * * * * * * * "Greenflight thinks Rainkit is blind," Adderkit said confidantly as the four kits scuffled together round the back of the nursery. "Cedarpaw told me that Ashpaw told him that Greenflight thinks so." "I don't think he's blind," Firekit says. "But he never looks properly at anything!" Sootkit exclaimed. "And he keeps watching things which aren't there." "Maybe he's crazy," Adderkit giggled. "Don't be mean," Wolfkit protested. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. He's cute." "Yeah, I love watching him fall on his nose," Sootkit snorted. "Come on. Let's play Clans. I'm going to be Sootstar, leader of ThunderClan." "I'll be leader of WindClan," Adderkit said quickly. Firekit and Wolfkit exchanged glances. "I'll be leader of ShadowClan," Wolfkit offered eventually. "Alright, and Firestar is leader of RiverClan," Sootkit said. "I'm going to lead my Clan to attack you, Wolfkit!" "I'm going to attack your Clan while you're away," Adderkit decided, as Sootkit crept towards Wolfkit. He pounced on his brother's tail. "Attack!" "I'm going to be peaceful," Firekit said, sitting down and wrapping his tail over his paws. "Peace is good." "I'm going to run away!" Wolfkit yowled, leaping away from Sootkit as Adderkit dragged him backwards. Adderkit sat up suddenly, dropping Sootkit's tail. "I'm going to be a real leader one day," he decided. "I'm going to work so hard that I'll just have to be leader." "Even if it means listening to your mentor?" Wolfkit teased. "I'll be the best apprentice," Adderkit promised. "Just wait and see." Wolfkit purred, then returned to her running as the battle continued. ''Maybe someday I can be someone important too. '' Chapter 6 "Only one more day," Adderkit exclaimed cheerfully, bouncing around his nest. "One more day to what?" Blossomkit asked curiously. "Till we become apprentices, mouse-brain," Sootkit said. "Huh," Slatekit muttered. "That's unfair. I should get to be an apprentice. I'm nearly as big as you!" It was true. Slatekit had grown very fast, and had broad shoulders and powerful muscles. He already towered over his brother and sister. "Huh," Blossomkit snorted. "You become an apprentice cos of age, not bigness. Mouse-brain." "Squirrel-face," Slatekit retorted. "Where's Rainkit?" Wolfkit asked, interrupting before the insults could turn into all-out war. Slatekit shrugged. "Dunno. Off somewhere." "Over there, I think?" Blossomkit flicked her tail towards the back of the nursery. "He went outside earlier." "I'll go check on him," Wolfkit decided. "Come back quickly then," Adderkit said. "We can't play properly until you're back." Wolfkit nodded quickly, then hurried out of the den. Padding around to the small enclosed space at the back where she and her brothers had often played together, she looked around. "Rainkit?" she asked softly. "Are you here?" "Wolfkit!" the tiny tom exclaimed, bundling out of a gap in the ferns to stand beside her. "Look at the birds! I've never seen this many of them before." Wolfkit followed his gaze up to the sky. It was wide, blue, and empty of everything except a single cloud drifting slowly away from camp. "What birds?" "The bright ones! They're shiny!" A frown crossed his face. "Have you never seen them?" "I... don't think so," Wolfkit said slowly. "Come inside, Rainkit." "Soon," he said absently, his eyes following invisible figures as they flew above him. "You go play." Wolfkit padded away slowly, trying to fight the creeping sense of unease that was upon her. Bright, shiny birds. For some reason it brought an image into her mind, of a struggling, colourful creature that had almost been her first prey. She shook her head, trying to forget the picture, and bounded cheerfully into the nursery, bowling Firekit over and yowling at the top of her voice that ShadowClan was attacking. * * * * * * * * * * "Wolfpaw!" the voices yowled, and she turned around and around in circles, wanting to remember every moment of it. Firepaw, sitting beside her, held his head up high, his eyes gleaming proudly. Sootpaw flicked his tail eagerly, seemingly accepting the yowls of congratulations as his due. Adderpaw was already pestering Cedarheart, his new mentor. "When will we explore the territory? What does ShadowClan smell like? How will I know when a cat is crossing our borders? How do you catch a mouse? How do you kill a badger?" Wolfpaw padded over to Firepaw. "I'm sorry we have to share," she told him in a low voice. "I know Tawnystar only wanted you as her apprentice." Firepaw turned to her, his green eyes alight with excitement. "It doesn't matter," he said, his voice kind. "I don't mind. You're my sister!" Wolfpaw purred softly, then walked over to where Willowpaw and Stealthpaw were waiting. "Come on!" Stealthpaw said enthusiastically. "We'll show you the den!" "Yeah, it's great," Willowpaw added. "It's a bit crowded... but now Cedarheart's moved out at least there's no one telling us to stop talking and go to sleep all the time!" "Bossy-paws," her sister agreed. Rainkit padded up to Wolfpaw quietly, his eyes gleaming. "Well done, Wolfpaw," he told her. "There were shiny things flying around your head." The two older apprentices turned away and snickered quietly to themselves, but Wolfpaw frowned at the kit. "What do you mean?" "They were shiny, and they had wings. Dawnflower said I must be seeing butterflies." Wolfpaw blinked, startled. "Oh." Rainkit padded away, just as quietly as he had come, and Wolfpaw followed her friends to her new den as they chattered to her cheerfully. Her brothers were already settled in their nests, and Sootpaw and Adderpaw were throwing bits of moss at each other. "I see nothing's changed," Wolfpaw commented, taking her very first step in the apprentice's den and being attacked by mossballs. She curled up in a nest with Willowpaw on one side and the den wall on the other. Lying still, she listened for a while as the noises around her slowly faded as one by one the apprentices drifted off. Wolfpaw wriggled slightly in her nest. She was used by now to sleeping without the warmth of her mother, but it was still a brand new den, and it was very strange. She was still thinking about exactly what was so strange about it when she drifted into sleep. Wolfpaw was woken by Briarpaw and Kestrelpaw as they padded into the den. "Hunting at night is hard!" Kestrelpaw moaned as they climbed into their respective nests. Carefully, Wolfpaw stood up and stretched. She picked her way past the heaps of fur and out into the clearing. Now that she was awake, she felt the need to stretch her legs. But outside looked oddly different. The dens were made of woven stems coloured a bright green, and there was grass all around, instead of the dirt floor of the camp. The protective bramble wall was gone as well, and she could dimly see a forest in the distance. Something fluttered past her head. It had large, very long wings which spun in a circle around its body, and it gleamed softly with odd colours. ''Shiny flying things... In the distance there was a screech, and the sound of feathery wings. The sound was so far away, and yet seemed to loud, and Wolfpaw's eyes widened at the thought of how big the wings must be to make that noise. She stumbled forward, towards one of the green dens... she couldn't recognise which one it was. Suddenly, Rainkit was standing in front of her. "Rainkit!" she gasped. "Where are we? Am I dreaming?" "Am I?" Rainkit answered cryptically. "I've never seen this place before. It's all... dusty, and the dens are brown, and we're penned in! We're trapped! Do you think the Twolegs did it? I've never seen one, but I think sometimes I hear them from far off. But I can't hear any now!" "I can't hear the crickets," Wolfpaw realised. Turning from Rainkit, she looked at the sky. It shone, bright with colours, like everything else seemed to be. Dimly Wolfpaw remembered seeing this all once before, and waking in the forest, and maybe even before that as well, but she was too frightened to think about it. She dashed back towards the green fern thing she had come from, and padded past the other cats into her own nest, which seemed to be made of glowing feathers instead of moss. Closing her eyes, she huddled down into the surprisingly comfortable nest and tried to fall asleep, not wanting to listen to the terrifying noises outside any longer. Chapter 7 "Are you all ready?" Tawnystar asked. "Remember, Cedarheart, Dewfur and I will be watching you the whole time, so work hard." Wolfpaw nodded emphatically. Her brothers did the same on either side of her, Adderpaw's eyes fixed determinedly on his mentor. "Go!" Tawnystar called, and all four apprentices turned and raced deeper into the forest. Squirrels, mice, voles... Wolfpaw thought quickly. Anything in trees or leaflitter. Birds! Blackbirds, doves. ''She paused and stood still, listening for the telltale call of any nearby birds, but the forest was silent. ''Squirrels might be near trees with nuts. A beech tree, maybe. ''She turned and continued running quickly, her paws taking her on a familiar route. The old beech tree was the first place she had ever caught anything. Arriving, she looked around, catching her breath and scenting the air. Old leaves, stale cat scent, just a trace of mouse. She crept slowly forward, placing each paw carefully, and leapt suddenly, pinning her paws down on the slight movement beneath the leaves. Smothering the mouse with her paws, she leant down and killed it before it could make a sound, then stood up with it dangling from her jaws. ''Bury your prey somewhere you'll remember. She began scraping away the earth beside the hump made by a tree root, and carefully dropped her mouse into the hole, then covered it with leaves. Should I stay here, or move on? ''she wondered. The beech tree wasn't exactly prey-rich, but it had already yeilded one offering. Still, Tawnystar had taught her and Firepaw to take risks when they hunted. It would probably be worth it to try somewhere else... somewhere she knew would have more prey. The forest was rich near the ShadowClan border! Spinning on her hind paws, Wolfpaw dashed towards the new area. As she came near the border the apprentice paused, scenting the air warily. If ShadowClan was nearby she wouldn't know what to do with herself. Suddenly, a small grey shape hurtled out of the bushed. Sheathed paws pushed at her flank and she toppled onto the ground with Rainkit on top of her. "Rainkit!" she exclaimed, shoving him off. "What are you doing? Why are you even out of camp?" Furious with the kit for spoiling her hunt, Wolfpaw scrambled up and started washing her pelt. "Get down!" Rainkit squeaked. "What are you talking about?" Wolfpaw mumbled, twisting to get a leaf off her back. "Get away!" the tom hissed frantically, and suddenly he launched himself at Wolfpaw again. The two of them hurtled sideways, and mere seconds later the bramble bush Wolfpaw had been standing in front of burst into flame. Wolfpaw stared at the smoking bush in shock. "What did that?" she asked, petrified. "We have to get out of here quickly!" Rainkit said. He scrambled to his paws and raced away. Wolfpaw stumbled after him, glancing back over her shoulder every few paces. The fire had burnt itself out, but there was still smoke issuing from the charred remains of the bush. ''That could have been me, the apprentice realised. If Rainkit hadn't pushed me out of the way... A shudder ran through her pelt as she suddenly understood that she owed her life to the strange kit. Chapter 8 "ShadowClan noticed many fires," Rabbitstar announced from his vantage point in the great tree. Wolfpaw took a step closer to Firepaw with a shudder, and her brother nosed her cheek comfortingly. "We could not tell how they started, and all seemed to burn out on their own. We lost one elder, Pearpelt, but aside from that we are unharmed." A murmur ran through the cats gathered below. Wolfpaw watched Tawnystar as the ThunderClan leader sat boldly beside the other three. "In other news," Rabbitstar went on, "ShadowClan has three new apprentices. Ebonypaw, Fallowpaw and Gorsepaw are here tonight with their mentors Waspclaw, Adderfang and Barkpelt." He raised his head proudly, and Sootpaw inched closer to his siblings to whisper quietly. "Those are Rabbitstar's kits." "Really?" Wolfpaw asked, looking around with interest. She could see Ebonypaw sitting not too far off, her black head lowered in embarassment. The young apprentice didn't look like the spawn of an evil ShadowClan leader... but then Wolfpaw had heard that dangerous cats came in all shapes and sizes. "Two of our cats, Leafdapple and Maplefur, have disappeared," Rabbitstar went on. "They are sisters, and we believed they may have gone to join ThunderClan, as they were last scented near the border." His cold face portrayed nothing of the betrayal be must be feeling, and he stepped back politely and ducked his head to Tawnystar. The ThunderClan leader stepped forward. "We have not seen your missing cats, Rabbitstar," she intoned cooly. "If we do see them we will be sure to report it. ThunderClan has lost two of its own cats, Honeyfeather and Seedwing. Both had kits in the nursery when they left, and we are worried that they didn't leave willingly." "There have been more Twolegs than usual in the moors!" a young voice called out, and Wolfpaw recognised Vixentail, the newest WindClan warrior. "Maybe they have something to do with it!" A concerned murmur spreak through the cats, but Tawnystar halted it with a flick of her tail and continued speaking. "ThunderClan witnessed a single fire near the ShadowClan border, but none of our cats were harmed. We also have four new apprentices. Sootpaw, Adderpaw, Firepaw and Wolfpaw are here tonight, and they are mentored by myself, Cedarheart and Dewfur. I have had to take on two apprentices due to a shortage of warriors. Other than that, ThunderClan is thriving." She stepped back and waited for the WindClan leader to take her place. "WindClan has noticed an increase in Twoleg activity," Nightstar admitted. "And one of our own cats, Odd-eye, has gone missing. We assumed he simply chose to leave Clan life, as he was born a rogue and only joined us as an apprentice. But there may be something more sinister at work. WindClan has a healthy litter of new kits, and prey on our territory is plentiful." The meeting was over, and Wolfpaw tried to stay close to her brothers as the four Clans split up and flowed their separate ways. She was staggering towards the bridge when she bumped into a soft black pelt. "Sorry!" the new apprentice squeaked, peeking at the cat she had run into, only to realise that it was another apprentice about her own age. "That's okay," Ebonypaw said. "It's so hard to walk around here! I've never seen so many cats before, have you?" "No," Wolfpaw replied, feeling a rush of warmth towards the apprentice who talked to her so casually. "It's my first Gathering." "Mine too," the other apprentice purred. "I'm Ebonypaw. You probably heard my name called." "Yes," Wolfpaw nodded. "Is it true that Rabbitstar's your father? I'm Wolfpaw, by the way." "Pleased to meet you, Wolfpaw. Yes, it's true. And his deputy, Sagefur, is my mother. So everyone expects great things from me and my littermates." "You have a brother and a sister, right? I have three brothers. They're so annoying!" Ebonypaw purred with amusement, and seemed about to say something else when Tawnystar bounded between the two apprentices. "Come on, Wolfpaw, don't fall behind," she encouraged, then turned to Ebonypaw. "Congratulations on becoming an apprentice." "Th-thank you," Ebonypaw stammered, looking awed at speaking to the leader of ThunderClan. Wolfpaw ducked her head at the other apprentice and followed Tawnystar through the crowd of cats and off the island. She was lost in thought as she fell into step between Sootpaw and Firepaw. I wonder what those fires were, she thought anxiously, and a memory drifted into her head of Rainkit several days ago telling her earnestly that the fires had been caused by 'the big dragon'. It made Wolfpaw uneasy to think like this, and she staggered into Firepaw as she walked. "Watch it!" he said jokily, and Wolfpaw snapped her head up away from her paws to apologise... then stopped suddenly. The world around her was not what she was used to at all! Chapter 9 "Whoa," Wolfpaw breathed. The moors ahead of her were lit with dozens of lights, and as the ThunderClan group moved closer she could clearly see that they were the 'shiny flying things' which Rainkit had mentioned. Their twirling wings wound around their heads in mesmerising patterns and the brightness of their bodies left after-images on Wolfpaw's eyelids. "What is it?" Firepaw asked, sliding his tail over her back. Wolfpaw jerked her gaze away from the creatures and fixed it on her paws. She didn't want to be branded mad, like Rainkit. But even beneath her dark grey pads she could see unusual things; delicate orange mushrooms which weren't there during the day, shining purple...things squirming beneath the leaf litter. From the distance came a loud shrieking roar and Wolfpaw jumped, feeling her fur stand on end. "I suppose it just makes me edgy, seeing things so different at night," she responded quickly, pressing against Firepaw. Tawnystar overheard. "Well you'd better get used to it," she said, not unkindly. "I'll be taking you and your brother out for a night hunting session, when it gets a little warmer." Oh StarClan, no, Wolfpaw thought desperately. "I'm just a little tired tonight, Tawnystar," she said aloud. "I'm sure I'll be fine some other night." "Hm," Tawnystar answered non-committally. "You'd better get straight to your nest when we arrive at camp, then." "Yes," Wolfpaw agreed, and she said no more.